New York City Subway
The only major metro in the world that never closes - running through the night, every night, since 1904.
The New York City Subway has run 24 hours a day, seven days a week since 1904 - a fact that still sets it apart from almost every other metro in the world. It serves 472 stations across 27 lines in all five boroughs, covering 245 miles of track. Around 3.6 million rides are taken on a typical weekday, making it one of the busiest transit systems in the Western hemisphere.
History of the New York City Subway
The New York City Subway opened on 27 October 1904, when the Interborough Rapid Transit Company ran its first trains from City Hall to 145th Street in Harlem. Around 150,000 people rode it on opening day - so many that the company lost money on the free round-trip tokens it had given out. The system grew quickly as three competing private operators - the IRT, the BMT and the city-owned IND - built rival networks under the same streets. By 1940 all three had been brought under city ownership, giving New York a unified subway that has run without interruption ever since. The 24-hour service was formalised during the Second World War and was never rolled back. Today the MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority) operates 472 stations across 245 miles of routes, serving all five boroughs - Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island (by the separate Staten Island Railway). The Fulton Center, completed in 2014, and the new 2nd Avenue Subway stations (open since 2017) are among the most significant recent additions to the network.
Metro Lines
How to Use the New York Metro
- 1
The easiest way to pay is OMNY - tap your contactless bank card, Apple Pay or Google Pay directly on the orange OMNY reader at the turnstile. No registration needed, no card to buy. Your fare is charged instantly.
- 2
If you prefer a card, get a MetroCard from a vending machine inside any station. Load a fixed amount (pay-per-ride) or buy a 7-day unlimited pass. The 7-day pass is good value if you are staying a week and will take more than 11 trips.
- 3
Every trip costs $2.90, no matter how far you go or how many times you transfer. Free transfers between subway lines are allowed within 2 hours using OMNY.
- 4
Lines are identified by letter or number and travel colour-coded corridors. The key distinction to understand is Express vs Local. Express trains (solid circle on the map) skip many stops; Local trains (hollow circle) stop everywhere. Both run on the same tracks, so check the front of the train before boarding.
- 5
Uptown means north, toward higher-numbered streets. Downtown means south. Knowing this one rule removes most of the confusion about direction.
- 6
Download the official MTA app or Citymapper before you travel. Service alerts, delays and reroutes are common - particularly on weekends when maintenance work redirects or replaces lines.
Fare Guide
Travel Tips for New York
- Weekend service is frequently disrupted. Lines get rerouted, stops get skipped and buses replace trains on certain stretches - every weekend. Always check the MTA website or app on Friday evening for weekend advisories.
- OMNY now offers a weekly cap: after 12 rides in a Monday-to-Sunday week, all further rides are free, automatically. You get the equivalent of the 7-day unlimited pass without buying one.
- Keep a hand on your bag in busy stations like Times Square, Grand Central and Union Square. Pick-pocketing happens, mainly in crowded carriages and on packed platforms.
- The A train is the quickest way to get to JFK: take it to Howard Beach, then transfer to the AirTrain (a separate $8.50 fee). Total time from Midtown is around 60-70 minutes. A taxi from Midtown to JFK has a flat rate of $70 plus tolls and tip.
- Late-night service runs on all lines but less frequently. Between about 01:00 and 05:00, trains on most lines come every 20-30 minutes rather than every few minutes. If you are out late, check the next departure time on the platform clock or in the app.
- Subway platforms have no air conditioning. In summer the platforms can be extraordinarily hot - carry water and be prepared for a warm wait. Train cars are air-conditioned.
Accessibility
130/ 472 stations
Step-free access (28% coverage)
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the New York City Subway cost?
A single ride costs $2.90 whether you pay with OMNY (tap your card or phone) or a MetroCard. A 7-day Unlimited MetroCard costs $34.00. With OMNY, the weekly cap system means you get unlimited rides after paying for 12 trips in a week - the same benefit without needing to buy a pass.
Does the NYC Subway run 24 hours?
Yes. The New York City Subway runs around the clock, every day of the year. Late-night service (roughly 01:00 to 05:00) is less frequent on most lines - trains every 20-30 minutes rather than every few minutes - and some routes are rerouted for maintenance. Always check the MTA app for current advisories.
What is the difference between an Express and a Local train?
Express trains stop only at major stations (shown with a filled bullet on the map) and are significantly faster over long distances. Local trains stop at every station. Both use the same tracks and have the same fare. Check the front display and the letter or number on the train before boarding - for example, the 2 and 3 run express while the 1 is local on the same West Side corridor.
What is OMNY?
OMNY is the MTA's contactless fare system. Tap any contactless Visa, Mastercard or Amex bank card, or use Apple Pay or Google Pay, on the orange reader at the turnstile. No registration is needed. The weekly ride cap (free after 12 rides in a Monday-Sunday week) is applied automatically to your payment method.
How do I get to JFK Airport on the subway?
Take the A train to Howard Beach-JFK Airport, then ride the AirTrain to your terminal. The AirTrain costs $8.50 (paid separately at the AirTrain gate, not on the subway). Total journey time from Midtown Manhattan is typically 60-75 minutes. The E, J and Z trains reach Jamaica, where you can also board the AirTrain.
Is the NYC Subway accessible?
Partially. Around 130 of 472 stations are fully step-free with elevators. Many historic stations, particularly in Manhattan, have no elevators. The MTA's accessibility map (available on the website and in the app) shows which stations are step-free. Major accessible stations include Times Square, 34th Street-Penn Station, Atlantic Terminal (Brooklyn), and all new stations built since the 1990s.
Times Square - 42nd St
Times Square - 42nd Street is the busiest and most famous subway station in New York City, located at the intersection of Broadway, 7th Avenue and 42nd Street - the crossroads of the world.
Grand Central - 42nd St
Grand Central - 42nd Street serves the iconic Grand Central Terminal - perhaps the world's most beautiful railway station and a Beaux-Arts masterpiece completed in 1913.
34th St - Penn Station
34th Street - Penn Station is New York City's busiest transit hub, connecting six subway lines with Penn Station - the departure point for Amtrak services to Washington DC, Philadelphia, Boston and beyond, as well as Long Island Rail Road and New Jersey Transit.
14th St - Union Square
Union Square is one of New York's most democratic public spaces - a meeting point for protests, skateboarding, farmers markets and street performance.
Fulton Street
Fulton Street serves the World Trade Center area and is the primary subway gateway for the 9/11 Memorial & Museum - one of the most visited and emotionally powerful memorial sites in the world.
Wall Street
Wall Street station sits at the heart of the Financial District, steps from the New York Stock Exchange - the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalisation.
Brooklyn Bridge - City Hall
Brooklyn Bridge - City Hall station provides access to two of New York's most celebrated landmarks.
World Trade Center
The World Trade Center subway station on the E line is located within the base of the rebuilt WTC complex and the Calatrava Oculus - the most architecturally dramatic transit hub in the United States, completed in 2016.
47-50 Sts - Rockefeller Center
47-50th Streets - Rockefeller Center station serves the Art Deco masterpiece of Midtown Manhattan - the Rockefeller Center complex of 19 buildings, including 30 Rock (home of NBC Studios), Radio City Music Hall, the Channel Gardens and the famous Christmas tree and skating rink.
59th St - Columbus Circle
59th Street - Columbus Circle station marks the south-west corner of Central Park and the start of the famed Central Park South boulevard.
86th Street (Lexington)
86th Street on Lexington Avenue is the primary subway gateway for the Metropolitan Museum of Art - the largest art museum in the Western Hemisphere with a collection of 1.
5th Ave - 53rd St
Fifth Avenue - 53rd Street station sits at the intersection of 5th Avenue and 53rd Street, placing visitors within a short walk of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) - one of the world's premier collections of modern and contemporary art including Van Gogh's Starry Night and Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon - and St Patrick's Cathedral, New York's neo-Gothic Roman Catholic masterpiece.
81st St - Museum of Natural History
81st Street - Museum of Natural History is the dedicated subway station for the American Museum of Natural History - a sprawling 45-building complex with one of the world's greatest natural history collections, including the famous Dinosaur Hall, the Hayden Planetarium, the blue whale model and the Hall of Ocean Life.
125th Street
125th Street is the main commercial artery of Harlem - New York's historically African-American neighbourhood that gave rise to the Harlem Renaissance, be-bop jazz, hip-hop and gospel music.
Atlantic Ave - Barclays Center
Atlantic Avenue - Barclays Center is the primary transit hub for Brooklyn, with nine subway lines converging - more lines than anywhere except Times Square.
Bedford Avenue
Bedford Avenue is the centrepiece of Williamsburg, Brooklyn - New York's most celebrated neighbourhood for independent music, street art, artisan food, vintage clothing and creative culture.
161st St - Yankee Stadium
161st Street - Yankee Stadium is the dedicated subway station for one of baseball's most storied franchises, the New York Yankees.
Coney Island - Stillwell Ave
Coney Island - Stillwell Avenue is the terminal station for four subway lines and the gateway to one of New York City's most unique and legendary neighbourhoods.
JFK Airport (Howard Beach)
Howard Beach station on the A line provides the cheapest subway connection to JFK International Airport - one of the world's busiest airports - via the AirTrain shuttle service (pay separately).
Bleecker Street
Bleecker Street is a 6 train station in NoHo at the intersection of two iconic downtown Manhattan streets.